🎬 “Confess, Dr. Corda” by Josef von Báky available for the first time in HD as a Mediabook

The film “Confess, Dr. Corda!” (German original title: “Gestehen Sie, Dr. Corda!“) by director Joséf von Báky is released for the first time in HD on Blu-Ray as part of a new Mediabook release on the Zeitlose Filmkunst film label by UCM.ONE in cooperation with CCC Filmkunst. Hardy Krüger stars in the leading role as Dr. Corda. Hardy Krüger made his breakthrough as an international actor in 1957 with “Einer kam durch” (“One got through“), followed by highly acclaimed films such as “Gestehen Sie, Dr. Corda!” Joséf von Báky directed films such as “Münchhausen” (with Hans Albers) and “Das doppelte Lottchen“.

About director Josef von Báky

Josef von Báky was born on 23 March 1902 in Zombor (Hungary). Josef von Báky went to Berlin in 1927. There he first worked as an extra. He made his film debut in 1936 with the film “Intermezzo” and achieved great commercial success in 1941 with the love story “Annelie“. As a reward, UFA entrusted him with the direction of their major project for their 25th anniversary. “Münchhausen” was a large-scale, expensive adventure film shot in the then new Agfacolor technique with a large star cast.  After the war, he quickly recalled himself as the director of two important, so-called rubble films. The films “Der Ruf” and “…und über uns der Himmel” were milestones of German post-war cinema. Many of the films that followed were socially critical and uncomfortable. The subject of ethics also plays a major role in his films time and again. For his Erich Kästner adaptation “Das doppelte Lottchen” he received the Film Ribbon in Gold in 1951. His last film work was the adaptation of the Edgar Wallace novel “The Strange Countess” in 1961. Josef von Báky died on 28 July 1966 in Munich.

The German film premiere took place in Hamburg on 22 May 1958. At the premiere of the film, the Austrian doctor Dr. Günther Hoflehner, the true hero of the story, was present at the invitation of Artur Brauner.

Production notes

The story by R. A. Stemmle is based on a true criminal case from Steyr, Austria, which caused a great stir in 1955. The anaesthetist Dr. Hoflehner was accused of the murder of a 25-year-old nurse who, the police discovered, was his mistress. Hoflehner was remanded in custody and was only released after 187 days. His innocence was clearly proven. It was not until 1957 that the real murderer, Alfred Engleder, was caught. He was wanted for several murders of young women. For the film version, Artur Brauner relied on a successful team. He also relied on well-known and distinguished film stars of the 1950s for the actors. At least 10 roles are filled by top stars of German cinema of the time.

The director Josef von Báky was assisted by Ottokar Runze, a great young directorial talent. The film was shot in Goslar in the Harz Mountains. The interior shots and courtroom scenes were shot in Berlin in the studios of CCC Film.

Reactions to the film

The film was released in 11 countries and received very positive reviews everywhere. The German critics were consistently positive. Among other things, one could read “The film is good, clean, exciting and reliably made in the human aspect. Stemmle’s script allows it, the director Josef von Báky did it and was supported by the excellent camera of Göran Strindberg, the gentle but sparsely underscoring music and a staff of excellent actors, none of whom remained below their value, some even a good deal above it. Overall, this film clearly belongs on the positive side of the very lean German film record of the past decade.” In other reviews, the actress Lucie Mannheim is celebrated as an outstanding performer. Paimann’s film lists state “A cinematically successful transfer of the well-known judicial affair, gripping not only for crime fiction lovers”.

More information about the film label: Zeitlose Filmkunst